In short
Stray vacancy is the final counselling round, conducted online by the same authority as every earlier round, allotting seats returned by candidates who upgraded or failed to report. Cutoffs fall furthest here because an unfilled seat lapses for the entire five-year cycle. You cannot enter this round without having registered in the earlier ones — which is the single most common way low-score candidates lose their last chance.
Why cutoffs collapse in this round
A medical seat left unfilled after stray vacancy cannot be carried forward. The college loses five years of fees from it, and the candidate pool is gone. That asymmetry is why a college that closed at 280 marks in Round 1 may admit at 150 in stray vacancy — not because standards changed, but because the alternative is nothing at all.
The rule that locks people out
Stray vacancy is open only to candidates already registered and, in most streams, already in the system from the earlier rounds. Candidates who sat out Rounds 1 and 2 hoping to “enter at the end when cutoffs drop” find the door shut.
Register in Round 1 even if nothing in your range appeals. Registration is what buys the option; you are not obliged to accept an allotment, subject to the deposit rules below.
The deposit trap
Free exit rules differ by authority and are decided when you lock your choice list, not when the allotment arrives.
| Authority | Non-domicile candidates | Official portal |
|---|---|---|
| UP DGME (Uttar Pradesh State Counselling) | Eligible | upneet.gov.in |
| Bihar BCECEB (State Counselling) | Eligible | bceceboard.bihar.gov.in |
| Haryana DMER / UHSR (State Counselling) | Eligible | uhsrugcounselling.com |
| MCC — Deemed University Counselling | Eligible | mcc.nic.in |
| Karnataka KEA (State Counselling) | Largely restricted | cetonline.karnataka.gov.in |
In UP DGME there is no free exit from Round 1: being allotted and declining to join forfeits the ₹2,00,000 security deposit outright, and entering Round 2 requires a fresh ₹2,00,000. Understand your authority’s rule before you fill choices — this is where families lose the most money in the shortest time.
Being ready to report
Stray vacancy reporting windows are short, often two to three days including travel. Have everything assembled before the allotment:
Documents required at reporting
- Allotment letter and the NEET-UG admit card and scorecard
- Class 10 and Class 12 mark sheets and passing certificates
- Transfer certificate and migration certificate
- Character certificate from the last institution attended
- Government photo identification — Aadhaar, PAN or passport
- Eight to ten passport-size photographs
- Medical fitness certificate and the course discontinuation bond
- First-year fee by demand draft, drawn as the allotment letter specifies
Carry originals and two photocopy sets. A missing document at reporting can cost the seat, and the reporting window is usually two to three days.
What to fill, and how much of it
At this stage, breadth beats preference. Cutoffs are unpredictable in the final round because they depend on who resigned, and a short choice list is the main reason candidates who were eligible end up unallotted. Fill everything you would genuinely attend and can genuinely fund.
NEET score & budget college predictor
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Frequently asked questions
Can I participate in stray vacancy without registering earlier?
Generally no. Stray vacancy is open to candidates already registered with the counselling authority, and in most streams already in the system from earlier rounds. Registering in Round 1 is what buys you the option to be there at the end.
How much do cutoffs drop in the stray vacancy round?
Substantially — commonly 80 to 150 marks below the Round 1 closing figure at the same college. A seat unfilled after this round lapses for the whole five-year cycle, which is what drives the drop.
Is a seat obtained in stray vacancy the same degree?
Yes. It is the same MBBS programme, the same college and the same NMC-recognised degree, allotted through the same online merit process. The round in which a seat was allotted appears nowhere on the qualification.
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Sources and how to verify this page
Cutoffs and fees on this page are compiled estimates for the 2026 cycle, not official figures. Every claim about eligibility, counselling process and legality can be checked against the primary sources below, and you should check them before acting.
- National Medical Commission — recognised colleges and seat matrix
- Medical Counselling Committee (MCC) — deemed and all-India quota
- National Testing Agency — NEET-UG results and percentiles
- UP DGME — Uttar Pradesh private MBBS counselling
- BCECEB — Bihar private MBBS counselling
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